TJ VS the system
by 8annie81
Summary: TJ starts falling out with himself. Can his friends snap him back,and can they get sleep deprived Gretchen to have some fun? It's a friendship story, people are hurt, but I'll try to throw in some laughs.
1. Locked out

_Authers note: This contains a lot of flash backs. ^-^ I did my research (meaning I watched episode after episode of recess till my eye's hurt.) and decided not to make this a crackfic or a oneshot but a main story so I've halted on Belarus mistake till this gets done. p.s Ten virtual cookies for whoever can name the episodes he's flashbacking to in order._

"Please Spin I need your help. Just let me stay a while I'll be invisible. You won't even notice me!"

"I said no! Just go away!" She tried in vain to close the door but he stuck his red converse in the way and tried to force the door open further.

"Come on Spinelli do it for your old pal TJ." He said looking up at her with untrustworthy puppy eyes.

"For my old pal TJ? For him I'd do anything, but you're not him! So go away!"

"What do you mean? I'm still me!"

"You're not the TJ I knew and lo-...Damit I said go away!"

"But don't you remember Spin? You, me, and the rest of the gang. Us v.s the system?"

"No! Thats not it! That was never it! It was us for the kids, the rights of the kids. Damit Teej it was us for everything, but now... now it's just you for yourself, and I won't. I can't. I...-"

"What do you mean Spin? I still help people! I help out all the time I..."

"Seriously Teej who have you helped other than youself!" Then she kicked him in the shin and slammed the door shut.

The tall dark haired beauty fought back tears, only to lose in the end and cry after her ex-best friend and childhood crush finally left her yard still wearing a shocked expression. She knew she'd done the right thing so why did it have to hurt so bad?

He pulled off his cap and scratched his head thinking _'maybe Spinelli was right I've been a jerk- Nah I'm still helping people so what if I want a little cash for it..._' He stopped _'When did I start walking?'_ He looked around and saw the old play ground. He saw the cheese box and remembered when Lawson almost smashed it in just to make people think he was bad. He saw the swings and remembered with a smirk when Spinelli had thought Swinger girl had gone over the top. He saw the dusty old corner where Gus had once taken hustler kids place as top hustler at the window he'd crawled out of to get out of detention. Looking over the field, the blacktop, the jungle jym he saw lots of memerize. Then his gaze drifted to a kid playing wall ball all alone against the side of the school. It started to rain and the kid ran off leaving his ball behind. "Hey kid! You left you-" Loud thunder cracked cutting him off. _'I gotta get outa this rain'_ he stooped down to retreive the kids ball and made his way to sit under the jungle jym. Another memory flooded back to him he remembered the password to the fifth and sixth graders club... _'Is it still there?_' He wondered. He walked further under the gym stooped over in a place meant for a shorter person. He couln't remember which part was the jail and which part opened the club. Then he saw them, the old X's and O's game he put the code in. He stood back and watched as the ground opened up and the entrance was exposed. He thought of Mikey and Gus lost in a crowd of fifth and sixth grade obssesed older kids who didn't care for the younger kids. Now in the tunnle he realized he wanted to go back. Back to his youth. Back to forth grade, and stay there with his best friends. Vince, Mikey, Gus, Gretchen...Spinelli. His earlier thought came back_ 'maybe Spinelli was right I've been a jerk- Nah I'm still helping people so what if I want a little cash for it... But how am I helping people? Freedom shouln't cost anything cause then its not really free... Ah Spin I hate it when your right'._


	2. Poker

_I was suprized to find TJ is easier to_ write_ about. I think I made Mikey sound too mean in this chapter :'(, And Spinelli's too moody, Cornchip girl (Teresa) I thought was good though right? Cornchip girl I think was shy around everyone but Gus. Oh and there's a teeny tiny ittle bit of one sided VinceXMikey starting in this chapter that will continue throuout the story. Figure out who's side ;)_

"Come on Mikey just one more round!"

"No this is a terrible practice! I won't be a part of this anymore!"

"Why not? We're wining!"

"Yes, but it's wrong! I say we give these people their money back and leave!"

"Aw come on we won it fair and square!"

"Whats happend to you Vince? You used to play for fun!"

"This is fun!"

"No its not! You're playing to win! What's the point of wining if your heart loses!"

"Wining is fun! My heart? Mikey your such a-"

"Hey are you guys in or out? Next game's about tah start." The dealer said in a gruff accented voice.

"Deal me in baby!"

"No count me out!"

"Mikey! You can't do that! I can't play without you!"

"Why don't you get your stupid girlfriend Emma to play with you! I want to leave!"

"I broke up with her weeks ago. I'm dateing Trish now... or was it Tasha? Besides it's guys night."

"well that didn't stop them from leting Spinelli play."

"Well whatever she's got no poker face."

"Shut up! I'm going through some shit right now I don't need you bagging on me!"

"Spinelli Please don't curse it's not you. We're all just a little upset about TJ." Glanceing at the drunken Gus Griswald he mumbles "Some more than others..."

"Hic-Hey your nod talking about me are you Mi-Mikey?"

"No Gus just sit back down. I was talking about Gretchen. Oh how lonley she must be trapped in her collage dorm room spending the night studying till dawn." He sighed poetically. "She gets to live the life of a genius, but at what cost?"

"K, hey w-waitress gimme another shot! Make it a double!" Gus said not really caring for his friends drawn out speach.

The waitress looked up at Gus's friends and saw Mikey giving her the 'No more' hand wave "I'm sorry sir I think you've had enough."

"What! Come on it's not up to you any way!"

"But sir aren't your friends paying for you?"

"Aww they won't mind right guys?"

"Are you kiding you've already spent like half my earnings!"

"Wrongfull earnings!" Mikey cried.

"I won fair and square!"

Vince and Mikey continued tp argue until Spinelli got up and stormed off stopping at the door to yell.

"This never happend when Teej was around, but he's not around so there's no point in us even talking to each other!"

"Gus you've really had enough to drink lets just go home." Teresa said timidly.

Gus sighed. "Ok, Cornchip lets go." He said picking up some random persons whiskey, chugging it and walks out.

Vince looked up at Mikey. "One more roun-"

"No we're going home too!"

"Fine, but I'm driving."

"No."

"Fine."

Mikey softened. "Poor angry Spinelli. Unable to show her emotions in any other way."

Vince nodded and patted Mikeys shoulder. They left without another word.


	3. Not so empty

TJ's POV

Ug what time is it? When did I fall asleep? Where's my hat? Where'd this blanket come from? Here's my hat there's a note in it. It looks wet but I know the handwrighting. He held it close for a while before stopping to pull back and read it -TJ Nice going. What were you thinking! Sleeping under a metal structure in the rain with no insulation! Be carefull, Gretchen- Sigh "Where am I gonna go now?" Can't go back to Spinelli's, Gus just bought a rifle so not his place, Mikey... Yeah Mikey how could he say no! This is perfect!

POV Mikey

Oh TJ is so ragged and tired. He looks as if he's just run ten miles! "Really Mikey I'm fine." Oh how modest. "Are you sure? There's nothing more I can bring you?" "Mikey-." TJ said trying to climb out of the mountain of blankets he'd been covered in and eventually giving up. "I'm okay. I've just hit a little rut thats all...like back in the fith grade whe the Ashley's club house fell in on Gus, and it was all my fault cause-." He still blames himself for that? "No TJ you never could have suspected Finster would come that soon or that the club house would fall." "But the prunes!" "TJ now thats just scary. Finster's like a force of nature. she can't be stopped, controled, or predicted. Plus we got the bat back."

Pov TJ

"...Yeah we did didn't we...Thats it! Thanks Mikey!" Now I've got a plan that'll fix everything! "TJ where are you going?" "Tell ya later Mikey I've got a plan Tell the rest of the gang to meet at Kelso's uh...whats that empty lot called now?" "Kelso's lot?" "Yeah thats the one! See if you can get Gretchen to come too! Later Mikey!"

POV Mikey

Only TJ could go from slump to pump that quickly. Good ole TJ. "Oh I better call Gretchen!" -Hi you've reached the voice mail of Gretchen Grundler please leave a message and a number or email that can be used to contact you *beep*- "Hi Gretchen it's me Mikey. The rest of us are meeting at Kelso's lot later today, and we **really** hoped you could come and join us there. I know it'd meen a lot to TJ." I hope she comes.

POV Gretchen

A decidedly annoying old style phone was ringing off the hook over sleeping the sleeping Gretchens head. "Gahh oh it's just the phone." She yawned and stretched. "I'll let it go to voice mail." ZzzzZzzzZzzz... She was sliping back into her dreams of science labs with great big telescopes and microscopes and beakers and burners when Mikeys voice cut through her slumber. -Hi Gretchen it's me Mikey. The rest of us are meeting at Kelso's lot later today, and we **really** hoped you could come and join us there. I know it'd meen a lot to TJ.- "Huh? Oh it's the phone again...well as soon as I finish my home work I'll check my voice mail...but whens the last time I went outside? Or talked to a person or-." Sniff. "Took a shower? Maybe meeting up with my friends could be healthy."

POV Spinelli

"Put me down!" I growled. "Mikey, Vince now!" Nothing TJ could have planned could change my mind Nothing. "This womps!" I yelled and then covered my mouth. Did I just say that out loud? Mikey's lip starts to quiver and I roll my eyes trying to will myself to comfort him. "Ah come on Mikey we all miss Teej, but it's just time to move on. Like the time you got hooked on Bonky or when Gus roof'd his glasses so people would like him better. Just beacause somthing makes you feel good or remember somthing happy dosen't meen its a good thing." Oh God did that mushy mess just come out of me? I gotta watch more wrestling.

POV Vince

"Wow Spinelli that was really...-" Mikey said sniffing and crying "beautiful!" I roll my eyes and tsk at her. "Wow Spin you've really gone soft since TJ split haven't you?" Ooof ok she dosen't hit any softer, but that was still pretty mushy. "And besides after whatTeej did I doubt th-." Spinelli continued stopping to stare. "...Wow look!" She yelled pointing at a less than empty Kelso's lot. "I-it can't be it's Kelso's!"

I'm thinking about taking the POV out of this chapter because it's super choppy. Until I do feel free to let me know of any other improvements I need to make.


End file.
